Mayor Cory Mason says $68 million project to break ground in October
RACINE, WI – The new Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center that will modernize and expand space for City of Racine programs and health care services is on course to break ground in October.
The $68 million project in the Lincoln-King neighborhood will have a new, larger gymnasium, running track, climbing wall and other indoor and outdoor recreational facilities. It will offer classrooms, computer labs, and other facilities for after-school programs for students, and educational and vocational opportunities for adults. It also includes a new Federally Qualified Health Center to make medical and mental care more accessible and affordable.
“After more than four years of planning and public outreach, we are ready to build this facility that will transform neighborhoods that have endured some of the nation’s most extreme economic and racial disparities,” Mayor Cory Mason said. “This project combines the community center, health center, and educational programs under one roof to become more than the sum of their parts. This will create positive improvement for the City of Racine for decades to come.”
The King Center is advancing with approval from the Common Council during its August 20 meeting. It is scheduled to break ground in October and open to the public in the third quarter of 2026. Contractors will ensure at least 20% of the construction hours for the project are performed by Racine residents participating in the Racine Works Program.
The King Center will be located north of Julian Thomas Elementary School at West Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
“This facility will improve free, public programs and spaces available to children and families across Racine,” said Tom Molbeck, director of the City of Racine Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department. “It will have a larger gym for recreational programs, more places for community gatherings and events, and more technology that residents can use to learn, work and play.”
The King Center will have a Federally Qualified Health Center offering medical and mental health services that are affordable to all residents, including those participating in Medicaid. PillarHealth of Racine will operate the center where doctors across different disciplines will collaborate to offer wholistic care to patients.
“The health center will address Racine’s shortage of medical care providers that makes it more difficult for residents to access affordable care, and will increase mental health care availability,” said Dottie-Kay Bowersox, City of Racine Public Health Administrator.
The August 20th Common Council approval means the city can issue up to $21 million in bonds for bridge funding to allow construction to start in October.
Major project donors announced to date include health care provider Ascension, We Energies, and the Pat Connaughton Foundation, founded by Milwaukee Bucks player Pat Connaughton.
The project team includes architecture firm SmithGroup, general contractor Pepper Construction, owner’s representative The Concord Group, and Racine-based community engagement firm Payne Consulting.
